Overhead door construction



ocf. 21, 1941. Iw. A. NQRB'ERG OVERHEAD DOOR CONSTRUCTION f Filed March 7, 1940 @./lfeiy 2m- @y1/M y A-rrsra ,i 1111.11: 11 .IMQ

.provements equipped with means for insuring the closing of Patented Oct. 21, 1941 OVERHEAD DOOR CONSTRUCTION William A. Norberg, Galesburg, Ill., ,assignor to Rowe Manufacturing Company, Galesburg,

lll., a corporation of Illinois Application March y7, 1940, Serial No. 322,695

' re claims. (o1. .2o-,20)

This invention relates generally to overhead door constructions and more particularly to imin overhead door constructions the uppermost door panel as the panels approach vertical door closing position.v

Due to the presence of thecurved track .section in the vicinity of the uppersection of the door frame, some difficulty has been experienced in sealing the uppermost door panel against the door jamb, The present invention contemplates the provision of means whereby the automatic and eiective sealing engagement of the uppermost door panel with the complementary section of the door jamb is insured.

More specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of simple and inexpensive panel closing members for causing the above mentioned sealing operation, one portion of the mechanism being carried by and movable as a vunit with the uppermost door panel and the other portion being secured in a fixed position, said parts being engageable as an incident to the shifting of the door panels. l

, It is an object ofthe present invention to provide a panel closing mechanism of the type set forth above which maybe applied to present overhead door installations without necessitating elongation or extension of the upper horizontal track sections or any reorganization or reconstruction of conventional overhead doorrhardware.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description when considered with` the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional` view taken centrally of a doorway and associated overhead door construction embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper left-hand portion of Fig. 1 disclosingthe position occupied by the uppermost door panel as it is Yabout to shift along the curved section of the track; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary Sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, portions of the structure being broken away to disclose parts otherwise hidden.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will bev seen that my invention contemplates an overhead door construction wherein a plurality of door panels ICD, I2, 1.4y and i6 are adapted ,tothe 55 so as to occupy the position shown in Fig. 1. .The

shifted between an open overhead position .and the vertical 'door closing position shown in Fig. 1. Suitable hinges I8 carry rollers 20 which are guided iby a track structure designated generally by the numeral 22. This track structure includes a vertical track section 24,l a substantially horizontal vor overhead section 26 and an intermediate or vconnecting curved section 28. When the door panels IU-I occupy the vertical position shown in Fig. 1 they serve to close a doorway or opening 30 which is dened by a door frame structure 32. In this position the door panels are sealed vagainst the door jamb 34.

OneV of the problems which has confronted overhead door manufacturers is that of properly sealing the upper or top door panel against the door jam without necessitating an excessive amount -of head room. Itwill be apparent that as vthe uppermost door panel is swung between open overhead position and closed vertical position there :is a tendency for the upper margin of the panel to swing or move upwardly unless some control or guiding means is -provided therefor. The present invention contemplates mechanism whereby this movement of the .uppermost panel along the curved track section may be accomplished with a minimum amount of head room and in such a manner as to positively insure the sealing of this door panel against the door jamb as the panels approach their vertical door closing position. This'mechanism includes a fixed abutment member 36,

which lis adjustably secured to the outside of the curved track section 28 vby means of suitable bolts' or screws 38. In Fig. 3 a portion of the curved track section 28 and the abutment member 36 are broken away to more clearly illustrate V`the slots 40 in the abutment member which ycooperate with the bolts 38 in enabling the adjustable positioning of said member. The upper portion of the abutment member 36 is formed with a flange abutment portion 42 which is slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal, as clearly illustrated in the drawing. This flange or inclined abutment portion 42 is so positionedlthat as the upper door panel i6 approaches its door vclosing position, a pin or sleeve 44 .on a bracket 46 carried by and extending normally to the door panel I6 vmoves into engagement with said flange. The co-action between the pin 44 and the flange 42 is such as to cause the uppermost door panel to be positively swung into sealing engagement with the door jamb 34 bracket 45 is slotted at 48 so as to provide for adjustment of the pin 44 within said bracket.

The bracket structure 46 also carries an arm 5l) which is pivoted at 52. A pintle 54 is carried at the free extremity of the arm 5B, one end of said pintle supporting a roller 56. This roller 56 is guided within the track 22 and cooperates with the bracket 46 in supporting the uppermost door panel I6 when said panel is positioned in the upper or horizontal track section as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. When the door panel occupies the position shown in Fig. 2, the arm 5U is in substantial parallelism with the panel and the pintle or pin 54 rests within a recess Vor cutout 58 (see Figs. 1 and 2). It'will be noted in Fig. 3 that the pin or pintle 54 is preferably mounted within a sleeve 60.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the mechanism just described for controlling the lateral shifting of the uppermost door panel AIt serves as an eifective means for 4positively insuring the sealing engagement of said kcaused/to tilt rearwardly due to the engagement of the sleeve or pin 44 with the under side A o the curved track section 28. Thus the head room requiredfor installing an overhead door construction of the type disclosedl herein'is reduced to a minimum because the moment that the door panels are initially shifted from ,their vertical door closing position, the uppermost panel suddenly swings rearwardly and moves along an arc corresponding substantially with the arc of the curved track section 28. Suitable counter-balancing mechanism such as a counterbalancing spring 52 is employed to facilitate movement of the door panels along the track structure. One extremity of the counter-balancipg spring 52 maybe secured to a depending frame member 54 and the other extremityof said spring connected with a sheave or pulley 66. A flexibleliftingelement or cable S8 is secured 'at one extremity to the door panels and passes-from the panels around a pulley or sheave 10 and then around the sheave 65.V VFrom this point the cable extends to a suitable bolt 'I2 securedrtothe frame structure. Vinasmuch as the invention-is not di,- rected tothespecinc form of counter-balancing mechanism, A no further detailed-.description thereof is essential to a clear understanding of the present invention. Y

It will also be understood that the adjustability of the abutment member 35 upon its complementary track section coupled with the adjustability of the pin orsleeve 44 in the bracket 46 renders the mechanism just described adjustable to take care of variations in spacing and positioning of the associated parts with respect to the door jamb against which the panels are to be sealed. It will also be apparent that byhaving a portion of the bracket-46 extending normal to the plane of the uppermost panel, no portion ofthe mechanism for controlling the sealing of the uppermost door panel extends beyond the upper or free margin or edge of the panel I6.` Thus when the panels have been shifted to their open or 'overhead position, no element projects rearwardly (to the right) of the doorpanels as viewedin Figs, lj and vr2. This enables the installation of the hardware necessary to bring about the automatic sealing of the uppermost door panels without requiring any extension or elongation of the horizontal v'track section 26. This is to be distinguished from other conventional mechanisms for controlling the uppermost panel wherein it is necessary to provide a track having a horizontal section which is longer than the conventional track in order to accommodate the panel operating mechanism. While certain structural features and details have been disclosed herein, it will be apparent that the invention is capable of other modications and changes without departing .from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

' l.4 In combination with a plurality of hingedly connected door panels and a track structure for guiding said panels between closed vertical position and open overhead position, means for controlling the swinging of the uppermost door panel as it shifts between vertical and horizontal positions, including a support carried by the uppermost'door panel, an abutment-member carried thereby and extending adjacent the inner surface of the track structure, said abutment member being adapted for cooperative engagement with said inner surface of the track structure to effect lateral swinging of the uppermost door panel as an incident to the shifting of said panel along said track structure, and means in the vicinity of said support and operable'within said track structure for guiding the uppermost panel along the upper portion of said track structure.

2. In combinationwith a pluralityof hingedly connected door panels and a track structure for guiding said panels between closed vertical position and open overhead position, means for controlling the swinging ofthe uppermost door panel as it shifts between vertical and horizontal positions, including a support carried by the uppermost door panel, an abutment member carried thereby and extending adjacent the inner surface of the track structure, said abutment member being adapted for cooperative engagement with said inner surface of the track structure to effect lateral swinging of the uppermost door panelas an incident to the shiftingof said panel along said track structure, means in the vicinity of said support and operable within said track structure for guiding the uppermost panel along the upper portion of said track structure, and a second abutment member secured ina fixed position and adapted to be engaged by the first Yabutment member to effect lateral swinging ofthe uppermost door panel toward its vertical position as an incident to the downward shifting of said door panels. f Y Y 3. In combination with a plurality of hingedly connecteddoor panels and a track structure for guiding said panels between closed vertical'position and open overhead position, means for controlling the swinging'of the uppermost door panel as it kshifts between vertical and horizontal positions, including a support carried by the uppermost door panel, an abutment member carried thereby and extending 'adjacent the inner surface of the track structure, said abutment member being adapted for cooperative engagement with said inner surface of the track structure-t0 eiTect lateral swinging of the uppermost door panel as an incidentr to the shifting of said panel along said track structure, means inthe vicinity of said support andoperable .within said track structure for guiding the uppermost panel along the upper portion of said track structure, a second abutment member secured in a xed position and adapted to be engaged by the rst abutment member to effect lateral swinging of the uppermost door panel toward its Vertical position as an incident to the downward shifting of said door panels, and means for adjusting the position at which said abutment members engage.

4. In combination with a plurality of hingedly connected door panels and a track structure for guiding said panels between closed vertical position and open overhead position, means for controlling the swinging of the uppermost door panel as it shifts between Vertical and horizontal positions including a support extending laterally of the uppermost door panel adjacent the free margin thereof and positioned within the limits determined by the free margin of said uppermost panel, an abutment member rigidly secured to said panel by said support, a second fixed abutment member adapted'to be engaged by the rst abutment and thereby elect swinging of the uppermost panel toward its vertical position, and means on said upper panel located below said lateral support when the door panels occupy their normal vertical position and operable within said track structure for guiding the uppermost panel along the upper portion of said track structure.

5. In combination with a plurality of hingedly connected door panels and a track structure for guiding said panels between closed Vertical position and open overhead position, means for controlling the swinging of the uppermost door panel as it shifts between vertical and horizontal positions including a support extending laterally of the uppermost door panel adjacent the free margin thereof and positioned within the limits determined by the free margin of said uppermost panel, an abutment member adjustably positioned on said support, a second xed abutment memf ber adapted to be engaged by the first abutment and thereby effect swinging of the uppermost panel toward its vertical position, and means on said upper panel located below said lateral support when the door panels occupy their normal vertical position and operable within said track structure for guiding the uppermost panel along the upper portion of said track structure.

6. In combination with a plurality of hingedly connected door panels and a track structure for guiding said panelsbetween closed vertical position and open overhead position, means for controlling the swinging of the uppermost door panel as it shifts between vertical and horizontal positions including a support extending laterally of the uppermost door panel adjacent the free margin thereof and positioned Within the limits determined by the free margin of said uppermost panel, an abutment member carried by said support, a second abutment member adapted to be engaged by the rst abutment and thereby eifect swinging of the uppermost panel toward its vertical position,` means for securing said second abutment in adjusted positions, and means on said upper panel located below said lateral support when the door panels occupy their normal vertical position and operable within said track structure for guiding the uppermost panel along the upper portion of said track structure.

WILLIAM A. NORBERG. 

